JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data interchange format that is widely used in web development and APIs for transmitting data between servers and clients. JSON is easy to read and write, making it a popular choice for representing structured data in a simple, text-based format. Despite its name, JSON is language-independent, and its syntax, which consists of key-value pairs, arrays, and nested objects, is supported by most programming languages. JSON's simplicity and ease of use have contributed to its widespread adoption as the standard format for data exchange on the web.

JSON is particularly well-suited for RESTful APIs, where it is used to serialize and transmit data between the client and server. Its compact size and human-readable format make it efficient for data transmission over the internet, reducing the bandwidth required for communication. JSON is also widely used in configuration files, data storage, and logging, further demonstrating its versatility. With the rise of web and mobile applications, JSON has become a fundamental tool for developers, enabling seamless data exchange and integration across different systems and platforms.